adding flood lights for backing at night

[quicky06]

Has anyone added lighting to their trailer to help when backing at night?

I often leave my house before the sun comes up which makes it difficult to see the trailer through the subdivision ( have to zig zag through parked cars on the street)

Then I also have a tendency to show up to camp when dark.

I often find myself using a 1200 lumen flash light held out my window which only helps on the drivers side.

so I'm thinking about mounting one of these on each side of the trailer, pointing backwards so it lights up the sides of the trailer and the area around it.

https://www.superbrightleds.com/more.../Photos&Videos


maybe use something like this to control them rather then have to get in and out of the truck

https://www.xtremediesel.com/anzo-85...yABEgKwt_D_BwE

any input?

[Oaklevel]

Make sure what ever you do is legal where you live. It would not be legal in Virginia or pass state inspection. Also you cannot run white back up lights while driving forward it not legal as well.

The rear lights that came on our toyhauler were actually DOT street legal fog lights and were operated only from the trailer.

[Webfoot0807]

I am actually going to be attempting a back up light install this spring. I plan on mounting one small light behind each rear wheel and one at the very back of the trailer.

My plan is to tie them in through the trailer plug, as I understand it I have one spot open since I don't have separate blinkers. Then I will tie them to the switch I installed on the dash last winter for the back up lights (pictures below). I am thinking about two more lights near the front pointed at the front wheel on either side as the lights I installed on the truck don't light them as well as I would like due to how close the are mounted to the bumper.

So, that's the plan anyway, we'll see how it goes once I tear into it.

[quicky06]

Originally Posted by Oaklevel

Make sure what ever you do is legal where you live. It would not be legal in Virginia or pass state inspection. Also you cannot run white back up lights while driving forward it not legal as well.

The rear lights that came on our toyhauler were actually DOT street legal fog lights and were operated only from the trailer.

I have no inspections to worry about on the trailer. And the only time I would have the lights turned on while driving forward is in my subdivision which is a private road so legally I can do what ever I want.

I doubt I will ever be pulled over and have the lights checked. We use lights like this on work trailers all the time.

[fonzie]

Many threads below....

https://www.google.ca/search?q=back+...C4mWsQWLlba4BA

[TitanMike]

The backup/observation camera on the back of my TT switches to Night Mode and illuminates area behind trailer with Infrared Light. Picture on monitor switches to black and white but it sure is better than just lights.

7-Wire connectors have a Backup light terminal that is only live when your TV backup lights are on. Add some LED lights at the rear and run a wire from the junction box that is usually up in the front of the frame (where pigtail is wired to trailer lighting wiring).

This way you won't run into any issues with law enforcement because you can't turn these lights on when not in reverse.

Using LED lights means you can use #14 wire and just run it along the bottom of the trailer, securing it with some Gorilla Tape where good opportunity presents.

BTW, the center terminal on plug or socket is the standard location for Backup light connection on "Factory" wiring.

For simplicity I'd just mount the lights on top of the rear bumper rather than trying to fish wire inside the wall(s).

[Oaklevel]

Originally Posted by quicky06

I have no inspections to worry about on the trailer. And the only time I would have the lights turned on while driving forward is in my subdivision which is a private road so legally I can do what ever I want.

I doubt I will ever be pulled over and have the lights checked. We use lights like this on work trailers all the time.

That's good as we can not do any thing like that here. All states are different. This one is very conservative and hard to add anything not factory or DOT approved.

Here if you got stopped for say for speeding, the trooper would also write a ticket for improper equipment. They do check here. (Of course depending on the trooper)

[aircommuter]

I used the lights like webfoot has, I moved them further forward so the bumper acts as cut off so the light won’t get in anyones eyes, not just drivers but even a person who is maybe helping back in somewhere. I also used a camera, the camera performs better with more light. Those thin light bars put out plenty of light.
As for your private roads, many subdivisions rules say that vehicles must follow the same laws that are in place outside the subdivision, although the key is whether or not enforcement takes place. I used the backup light connection provided in the trailer plug as mentioned, really didn’t see a need for them to be on when going forward. You could set it up with dual feeds.

[quicky06]

My plan is to light up the sides up the trailer by mounting the lights in the trailer not on the truck. If I mount these light bars on the front of the trailer directing most of the light at the side of the trailer it would allow me to turn them on when I get in a tight situation then turn them off when driving. I don’t have to do it via remote I could do it. With a switch in the storage compartment or control panel the remote is just more convenient.


I have cameras but they don’t do much good when trying to see the entire length of the trailer. It’s an issue when getting around cars parked in the road all over the place.
As far as subdivision rules I don’t have any to worry about. My subdivision only has 3 rules. And the other subdivision I drive through I have a deeded easements to use thier roads with no limitation so thier rules don’t apply to me. If they don’t like the Lights they can stop parking in the road


The subdivision situation is secondary to getting into camp at night. Whenever we leave after work on a Friday it’s pitch black before I will make it to any campground. I figure the lights are less of distraction to other campers than two people with flash lights taking 10x the time.

[aircommuter]

You know what need, as long as they don’t stick out too far and make you over width or get damaged easily by trees or whatever. I find that backup lights work fine for backing into places. The side markers show me the sides with7getting in my eyes like white would. But I don’t have to deal with such tight locations going forward, and I can tell if I am going to make it by before I get to the obstacle. I hope it all works out for you.

[kylemcmahon1]

I put single row flush mount in my back bumper. Grounded to the frame right at the bumper. Then 18g power wire wired to back up light on trailer plug. Just right enough to see behind in the backup camera not so much to blind other campers when in the camp ground. 15 dollars on amazon. Will not help much if you are going forward. Or if you store your sewer hose in your bumper. If bumper is empty these look good and work great.

[dbledan]

I put foglights on mine. I wired a manual switch but I really like your remote option. Just the back is not enough is what I learned and they work much better than just IR for the camera. If you stick to fog lights you may need some near the front of the trailer pointing backwards and sideways as well. I only use mine backing into sites at night so far. I did not wire them to the reverse lights because I don't want to blind anyone when shifting.

I plan to add some colored LEDs that I will keep yellow under the wheel wells so I can see the tires and ground underneath them while driving.

Looks like your remote would be able to run those as well. This way I could then use them as ambient lighting while camping because awning lights are too bright.

Best of luck!

[quicky06]

Originally Posted by dbledan

I put foglights on mine. I wired a manual switch but I really like your remote option. Just the back is not enough is what I learned and they work much better than just IR for the camera. If you stick to fog lights you may need some near the front of the trailer pointing backwards and sideways as well. I only use mine backing into sites at night so far. I did not wire them to the reverse lights because I don't want to blind anyone when shifting.

I plan to add some colored LEDs that I will keep yellow under the wheel wells so I can see the tires and ground underneath them while driving.

Looks like your remote would be able to run those as well. This way I could then use them as ambient lighting while camping because awning lights are too bright.

Best of luck!

Attachment 161697

I honestly haven’t thought about putting a light directly behind the camper. Just the two going down the sides. But one on the back wouldn’t hurt, would just have to run the wires 30 feet from the remote, or I just hook it to the reverse
Lights. I would just need to figure out a way to mount it without messing with my hose storage.

[dbledan]

Originally Posted by quicky06

I honestly haven’t thought about putting a light directly behind the camper. Just the two going down the sides. But one on the back wouldn’t hurt, would just have to run the wires 30 feet from the remote, or I just hook it to the reverse
Lights. I would just need to figure out a way to mount it without messing with my hose storage.

I mounted mine in an existing hold the bumper could have attached to so it would not impact storage in the bumper. I will see if I can find a picture.

I think the sides have you covered if you angle them out a bit from under the camper. If you stick to front of the camper and aim them right you may not need one on the rear.

[rockfordroo]

Originally Posted by Webfoot0807

I am actually going to be attempting a back up light install this spring. I plan on mounting one small light behind each rear wheel and one at the very back of the trailer.

My plan is to tie them in through the trailer plug, as I understand it I have one spot open since I don't have separate blinkers. Then I will tie them to the switch I installed on the dash last winter for the back up lights (pictures below). I am thinking about two more lights near the front pointed at the front wheel on either side as the lights I installed on the truck don't light them as well as I would like due to how close the are mounted to the bumper.

So, that's the plan anyway, we'll see how it goes once I tear into it.

Webfoot:

Check out the pic below. Not having separate blinkers doesn't help you. You have a left turnsignal/brake pin and right turnsignal/brake pin. The one that's not used on most TT's is the backup light pin (the one in the middle).

[john5646]

Yes can’t imagine not having after you do any type of this mod. You will love it. I’m wired to back up lights so in reverse there on automatically. Then I put a jumper in seven way on site if I want the light while camping.

[Webfoot0807]

Originally Posted by rockfordroo

Webfoot:

Check out the pic below. Not having separate blinkers doesn't help you. You have a left turnsignal/brake pin and right turnsignal/brake pin. The one that's not used on most TT's is the backup light pin (the one in the middle).

Attachment 161709

You're right, I misspoke

[snuelken]

You can attach a Bluetooth camera to your RV. That will allow you to see if you are clear. We have done extensive traveling and have never needed anything. Also, you can put a puck light at the corners of your campsite and pick them up when you are in place.

[rockfordroo]

Originally Posted by john5646

Yes can’t imagine not having after you do any type of this mod. You will love it. I’m wired to back up lights so in reverse there on automatically. Then I put a jumper in seven way on site if I want the light while camping. Attachment 161710Attachment 161711

For those of you wondering what John means, here's a pic of the 12VDC power (11 o'clock pin) jumpered to the running lights (1 o'clock pin) with an automotive fuse (pic shamelessly stolen from Turbs - thanks!).



This will light up your TT's running lights using your battery. If your battery is being charged by the converter via shore power, you can leave them on forever.

To do what John is implying, you would need to jumper the pin at 11 o'clock to the middle pin. Not sure this would be as easy with the automotive fuse. You might have to figure out another way to connect to the middle pin.

[john5646]

For a jumper I’m using the guts from the truck side of a seven way plug end, with wire jumper from battery to center.
Sorry unit in storage can’t go take a picture of jumper.